A SUBSTANDARD railway bridge is to be replaced as part of an ongoing project.

Ten weeks after the Selby rail disaster, when motorist Gary Hart careered off the road and into the path of a train, highways chiefs across the country announced that hundreds of thousands of pounds of upgrades to bridges would be carried out.

One of the latest bridges to be tackled is Relley Bridge, which connects Durham with Deerness Valley over the East Coast Main Line.

Work will begin on January 5, and it should take 12 months to rebuild the 19th structure found not to meet safety standards. The approaches to the new bridge will have safety barriers added which comply with safety standards. A footpath and cycle track will also be incorporated.

The present bridge has no facilities for pedestrians or cyclists and was also too narrow and had sub-standard alignment.

Chris Tunstall, Durham County Council's director of environment and technical services, said: "The new Relley will provide a footpath and cycle track while the old road will be landscaped and planted with trees.

"The approaches to the bridge will also have safety barriers complying with current standards.

"Improving such barriers on bridges in the county is a priority for the council and we have carried out work at a number of road-over-rail sites which were shown to be sub-standard."

The bridge will be built off-site so that traffic can continue to use the existing bridge, before the switch to the realigned road and bridge.

Work will be undertaken by the Durham Alliance for Civil Engineering, with lead contractor Balfour Beatty.